Tears and Thorns
by Hazel2468
Summary: When Arella becomes the Queen, she is bombarded by the responsibility of protecting her people, and maintaining her status amongst the other Hellish nobles. But when Magnus vanishes, she finds herself trapped in a web that will prove VERY difficult to escape from alive.


**Hello all! So, I have finally decided that I am going to pursue a sequel to Blood and Roses... Because I just cannot let this fanfiction die. This story will take place several months after Blood and Roses. **

**I do not own any of the characters from TMI. However, Arella is mine. As is Ithrul. As are the other characters that appear throughout the story that were not in the original novels. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

Arella was eavesdropping. Though her eyes were on the plate of food steaming on the table, her attention was fixed on the conversation taking place behind her. Something touched her and she jumped, looking up. Magnus' hand was on hers, and he was staring at her, looking concerned.

"Arella?" he said, but she smiled, pointing to the booth behind her. He frowned, but at that moment the conversation began to get heated and he could hear exactly what was being said.

"I'm just saying, Dumbledore has that killing-curse, and that's unblockable!" a male voice was saying. The warlock chuckled; Jace and Clary had told him of a similar conversation, and it seemed that the same group had yet to reach an agreement.

"I know, but if you'd bothered to read even the first book, you would know that Dumbledore refuses to use that spell!" a female voice said, sounding irritated. "Shaw, help me out here!" There was a throaty chuckle.

"Sorry, Amy, but you're on your own here. I agree with Greg." A third voice chimed in, light and full of laughter. Arella was chuckling, her hand pressed to her mouth, eyes shining.

"Who do you think would be victorious?" Magnus asked her, and she sighed.

"You, obviously. You may be older than Dumbledore, but you're much more fit and, frankly, probably wiser." He flushed when she winked at him and looked down at his food.

"You flatter me, love." He said, and Arella laughed aloud. Magnus was smiling, his hand still holding hers.

"No, I'm just honest." She said, rolling her eyes as the fight heated up behind her, the voices becoming louder and more strained.

"Magnus. Mother. Fucking. Bane! Come on, guys." The girl whined, and Arella could hear an empty glass being tapped against the table.

"Amy, just face it. Dumbledore is better." The boy called Shaw said. "I tell you what. If you can find someone in this restaurant who agrees with you, and can _prove_ it, then I'll switch to your side." Amy whined, but Arella perked up. This could be a lot of fun if she played her cards right.

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked as she slipped out of the booth, winking at him.

"Going to lobby for that poor girl. Stay put; I have a feeling that this is going to be really entertaining." She said, turning around and leaning against the side of the booth, eyes flashing with silent laughter. She could clearly see the three arguing now; they were werewolves, all young and therefore fiery in personality. The blonde one noticed her looking at them and frowned.

"What do you want?" he asked. By the voice, she knew this was the one named Shaw. So the girl with dark skin and short black hair next to him must be Amy, and the broad shouldered brunette must be Greg.

"Oh, nothing much. I just couldn't help overhearing your little disagreement and I thought it sounded interesting." She said coolly, grabbing a chair from a nearby table and sitting down right in front of the three of them.

"And? Who do you agree with?" Greg asked, his brown hair flopping into his eyes as he jerked forward. Arella laughed before pointing to Amy.

"What?!" Shaw frowned at her, slamming his fist down on the table. "You've got to be kidding me… Magnus Bane wouldn't stand a _chance_." Arella shook her finger at him slowly, grinning from ear to ear.

"On the contrary, Magnus Bane would wipe every inch of every floor in Hogwarts with Dumbledore, and then still have time to trim the grounds with the Professor's dentures." The boys looked outraged, but Amy was beaming and shooting her the thumbs-up. After an angry bite of the very rare steak in front of him, Greg turned back to her.

"And? How do you know this?" he asked rather calmly, the look in his eyes proving his arrogance. "Have you ever _met_ Magnus Bane? It seems to me that no one has ever really seen the High Warlock before, at least not anyone that we've talked to about this." Arella had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She had seen _much_ more of Magnus than any of these jokers, and probably a good deal of his customers.

"Oh, believe me, I have _seen_ Magnus Bane." She said with a mocking raise of her eyebrows. "And when I say that he is the most amazing, sexiest and most powerful warlock in all of New York and probably the States, I _mean_ that." She could hear Magnus laughing softly from the other booth, but she ignored him, wanting to continue this little performance. Amy was watching her with an odd expression on her face, but Shaw and Greg were both rolling their eyes.

"Please." The brunette said testily. "Do you have any proof? That you know him, I mean. I bet you don't even know what he looks like." Arella was unable to hold it in any more and she laughed aloud, one hand over her mouth.

"Alright, little werewolf, I'll indulge you." She said. "Magnus is rather tall, had long black hair that he _usually _gels into some odd style or other. His eyes are outrageous, all green and gold, especially when he smiles. He-" a hand clapped over her mouth and she jumped, looking up into Magnus' grinning face.

"You flatter me, my love." He said smoothly, removing his hand a placing a quick kiss on her lips. "Although I assure you; I can look much more fabulous than this, if you do so desire." Arella nodded, then caught sight of the werewolves and broke into a fit of giggles. Their expressions were priceless, mouths gaping and eyes wide as dinner plates, well worth the whole ordeal she had just been through. Oh, how she wished she had a camera. Finally, Shaw re-hinged his jaw and managed to speak.

"And… Who are you?" he asked, trying to slip back on his mask of indifference. Magnus chuckled, brushing his ebony hair out of his eyes and back up into place.

"Well, I'm _certainly_ not Albus Dumbledore." He said, and Arella collapsed into more laughter.

"Trust me, you are much better looking than him." She said, and the warlock smiled at her, winking. Amy leaned forward on her elbows, staring at him.

"So… You're-" she began, but Greg shushed her, scowling at Magnus.

"Shaw asked you a question; you should probably answer." Arella growled a little, but Magnus rested a hand on her shoulder before stepping back and bowing at the waist in mock reverence.

"Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn, at your service." He said. Shaw licked his lips, and leaned flirtatiously towards him.

"What kind of services are we talking here?" he asked, and Amy nudged him.

"Shaw!" she said, but he brushed her off, looking expectantly towards Magnus. Arella grasped the front of his shirt, pulling him down and gently pressing her lips to his cheek as she pulled aside his collar and revealed the black lines of her mark. Magnus blushed as she traced the outline of the design with the tip of one finger, glaring stonily at the blonde werewolf.

"Nothing that isn't strictly professional, I'm afraid." The warlock said. "As you can see, I'm otherwise entertained." Shaw looked rather disappointed, but Amy was staring at the Mark.

"A succubus?" she said quietly, glancing at Arella and then back to Magnus. Arella grinned, showing pointed fangs.

"Hit the nail right on the head, child." She said, and Magnus chuckled, giving Amy a little wink.

"Indeed." With that, he grabbed Arella by the hand, lifting her from the chair and pulling her into his arms. "Well, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I _do_ have a client coming at four, and it is already three o'clock." He said. She nodded, giving Amy a quick wave and sticking her tongue out at Greg and Shaw. Magnus rolled his green eyes and led her out, leaving some money behind on the table with a snap of his fingers.

"After you, Mrs. Bane." He said, holding open the door and snickering as she blushed. Arella prodded him gently on the tip of the nose as she passed, wincing at the weather. It was misty; a damp sort of blanket covered everything in sight. Her skin instantly clammed up, and she shivered; why had she neglected to bring a coat? Magnus unbuttoned the front of his coat, slipping it off and throwing it over her shoulders.

"Here." He said. She stared at him. It was freezing, and he was only wearing a thin, white button down shirt.

"Magnus, you'll catch a cold." She said, but when she tried to return the jacket he stopped her.

"I'm always warm, remember? I don't feel a thing." He said, grinning and starting off down the sidewalk again. Arella sighed and followed; no matter how warm the warlock felt, he could still get sick or something. She ran to catch up and found him practically bouncing as he walked.

"Well, someone's in a good mood today." She noted, looping her arm in his and watching as he smiled.

"Yes, yes I am." Magnus felt like singing; he felt at the top of the world, despite the horrid smog which was ruining his carefully styled hair. Arella smiled. She loved to see him happy like this, how he used to be, giddy and humming quietly to himself.

"So… What now?" she asked. Magnus shrugged.

"I'm free after my four o'clock appointment. I was thinking maybe we could go out to dinner or just stay in and have a movie night." There was something odd in his voice, but Arella just ignored it, deciding it wasn't worth ruining his good mood with a lot of questions as to why he sounded like he was fibbing.

"Yeah. Just you, me, and the wonders of _Titanic_." She joked, earning herself a mocking glare from the warlock. He rolled his eyes, releasing her as they reached the dank steps leading underground into the subway. It was musty and crowded, accompanied by the pungent odor of stale urine and cigarette smoke, but at least it was dry. Arella's hair was protesting the mist by frizzing up, and she hastily smoothed it down with her hands, but Magnus' hair gel had remained impervious to the attacking vapor. His shirt, however, couldn't say the same. It was sticking to him, and he looked as if someone had gone over him with a squirt bottle. As they walked, Arella could see signs of the magical world that the humans all around her were blissfully ignorant of. An imp crouched in the corner, glamoured and shaking a rusty tin can at passersby, growling when they ignored him and grinning wickedly at the few who gave him spare change. He turned and saw Arella looking at him. With a startled squeal he curled into the fetal position, dropping the can and hiding his face in his knees.

"Behold, the Queen of Hell." Magnus mumbled under his breath. She blushed and elbowed him in the side. "You'll conquer the world with that adorable smile." He said. Arella made a small noise of indignation, but he put his arms around her and pulled her forward into a kiss. She relented instantly, melting into him, letting her hands curl against his chest. She didn't care how many mundane or Downworlders were staring, or how many disapproving scoffs they got thrown at them. Every time she kissed Magnus, it was just like the first, and the whole world seemed to vanish from under her feet. Her heart leapt, pounding against her ribs like an animal struggling in a cage as he slowly pulled away, and she gripped the front of his shirt to hold him in place. After another long, wonderful moment they broke apart, Magnus smiling and Arella feeling slightly off-balance. Without a word he turned and led her through the turnstile, joining the crowds streaming onto the dirty, once-silver train that waited in the station.

"It's always so stuffy in here." He mused, wriggling into a seat and pulling Arella down into his lap. "I hate being stuffed in like a sardine in a can with all these people." Someone bumped Arella and she fell forward, her forehead knocking against his shoulder.

"Do you really mind being so close?" she asked, and Magnus chuckled.

"Does it seem like I mind?" he took her hand and guided to his chest. His heart was fluttering in time with the slight sway of the train as the doors closed and they began to move. Gently, he rested a hand at her cheek, his feline eyes flashing in the flickering light of the tunnel. "Arella… Marry me." She couldn't help but laugh.

"Magnus." She leaned in, pressing her lips to his forehead and running a hand over her Mark, now visible through his white shirt. "You know that we're already-"

"No." he said firmly, and she jumped. "Arella, we are bound for life, yes. But we are not _married_. I want to do right by you. All those years ago, I was just inches away from getting down on one knee; I was ready to give eternity to you. But I never got the chance." Arella flushed, feeling slightly guilty for leaving him. But they were past that point; Magnus understood, and what was important was that they were together now. She chided herself for not expecting this. Magnus was… Well, Magnus, after all, and she should have known that he would insist on doing things the old-fashioned way. She began to answer, but he put a finger to her lips.

"Wait… just let me." He said, lifting her off his lap. For a moment, Arella was confused, but then he slowly sank to one knee and she flushed. Was he really doing this? Everyone around them turned, backing away and giving him space as he extracted a small, black box from his pocket.

"Arella, will you make me the happiest man in the world?" he asked, voice tight with emotion. For a moment, Arella found that she couldn't speak, her hands clasped over her mouth. The people around them began to mutter, and Magnus' smile began to falter. But then she found her voice and promptly threw her arms about his neck, shouting all the while,

"Yes! Yesyesyes-" he silenced her with a fervent kiss, his palms against her cheeks. There were several loud whoops and whistles when they finally pulled apart and Magnus took Arella's hand in his. She was trembling, and it would have been impossible to slip the band onto her finger if he hadn't been holding her steady.

"I love you." He whispered to her. She laughed, giddy, heart pounding with excitement and nerves.

"I love you too." She replied, resting her head against his chest. It seemed that he was feeling the same as she was, if heart-rate was any indicator. He sat, a bit shakily, and Arella reclaimed her place on his lap, forehead against his shoulder and his chin atop her head. They sat like that, just breathing into one another and trying to grasp the enormity of what had just happened until the train juddered to a halt, squeaking against its metal rails as it eased into the station.

"Shall we?" Magnus said, watching as Arella stood and following suit, stretching and loosening a kink in his neck. "Now, after my client leaves," he said as he guided her through the station. "You and I are going to the Institute before dinner for a little visit." Arella blinked up at him, confused, and the warlock chuckled. "Isabelle. I cannot _wait_ to see her face when we tell her about this. Although, she'll probably insist on throwing us a 'real' engagement party, but we'll cross that shaky bridge when we come to it." Arella chuckled, but her laughter was short-lived as they climbed the stairs up and into the maelstrom that now encompassed Brooklyn. Rain pelted at her exposed cheeks, and she clutched Magnus' coat tighter about herself. By the Angel, she hated rain. Magnus, on the other hand, had let out a joyful cry the instant he caught sight of the practical typhoon, and was now spinning around in circles, his white shirt totally soaked through, the tattoo just above his left hip visible through the fabric. When lightning flashed across the black-clouded sky he threw up his arms and shouted into the impending clap of thunder.

"I _LOVE_ the rain!" Arella watched, perplexed, but when he turned to look at her his eyes were shining. "Arella… Come here." He said softly, offering his hand. The instant she accepted, he pulled her into his arms, combing her wet hair out of her face with the tips of his fingers. Arella didn't get the point of kissing in the rain. To her, it had always seemed like a big, cold, wet, windy mess, and totally cliché to boot. But the second Magnus' lips crashed into hers, she understood. Her eyes slipped closed as every raindrop turned into molten electricity, sparking against her skin as she gripped the front of Magnus' shirt so tightly two of the buttons came undone, nearly popping from their threads. His shirt was plastered to his body in such a way that it seemed he wasn't wearing one at all. He smiled against her lips, pulling her closer, savoring the way that she tasted, how warm her arms felt against him. He wound his fingers into her hair and she purred. There were a few loud catcalls and whoops, but Magnus couldn't care less what everyone else thought. He was kissing his fiancée, in the rain, and had a perfect right to do so. At the thought of the word _fiancée_ he blushed, his heart doing a little jig in his chest. Arella suddenly pulled away and he whimpered, disappointed and craving more.

"You have a client coming, Mags." She said, waving her finger at him like she was scolding a naughty child. "There will be plenty of time for whatever you want _after_ dinner. But it's getting late, and we need to be home." Magnus grumbled something about 'screw the client… kissing is better' but Arella just grabbed his hand and pulled him along. The walk from the station to their loft was easy, save for the rain, which seemed to get worse the longer they walked. The warlock danced along the sidewalk, opening his mouth to capture the icy droplets. Taking his time, he unlocked the door and let Arella inside, watching as she shook the water from her hair and hung his coat on a peg. He grinned, snapping his fingers. Arella gave a little squeak as the dampness vanished from her clothing and hair, and frowned at Magnus.

"Don't surprise me like that with magic!" she said. Magnus just laughed, repeating the same spell on himself. His hair fell down into his eyes in thick, ebony locks, curling gently over the tan skin of his neck.

"Leave it down." Arella said as he snapped up a bottle of his favorite brand of hairspray. "It looks really good that way." He smiled, and the bottle vanished with a small 'pop' as she leaned forward and passed a hand over his cheek. No sooner had they retreated upstairs and collapsed on the couch together, lips just barely brushing, when the doorbell buzzed loudly and Magnus groaned.

"_NO_ sense of timing… Ugh!" he groaned, lifting himself off of Arella and slouching to the door. "I promise, this won't take too long." He said as he buzzed the client in, leaning against the wall beside the door. She shrugged, taking up a leather-bound copy of _Little Women_ and settling into the couch to read. She liked Beth; the girl was sweet and a rather endearing character. But Jo's fiery nature reminded her of, well, herself at times, and she respected her total disregard for what was proper. After all, didn't Arella already ignore her own instincts and traditions? She supposed she did. She reached Laurie's proposal and felt her heart swell, looking down at the ring on her finger. As she continued, she let out a series of squeaks as Jo rejected him. How could she have done that? Arella couldn't imagine turning down Magnus… Then again, she loved him more than anything. Maybe she wasn't as similar to Jo as she thought. Her nose was practically touching the pages of the book when the door opened and Magnus reappeared, the werewolf hot on his heels. A bottle was clutched in the young man's hand, filled to the brim with a thick, soupy brown liquid.

"Apply that three times a day for a week. It'll help accelerate the natural healing process." He said, quickly ushering the client out the door and slamming it.

"Well… How did that go?" Arella asked, catching sight of Magnus' expression. The warlock groaned, flopping over the back of the couch and landing in her lap.

"Obnoxiously." He mumbled, voice muffled by the fabric of her jeans. "All he did was complain about how I wasn't doing it right, about how it was taking too long." Arella turned him over, staring into his exhausted green eyes. "Like he would know what he's talking about… He's just a newborn werewolf." She chuckled.

"But Mags, you're helping people." She said. Magnus smiled up at her, winking.

"Well, that's the good part. But you would think that people should know not to bite the hand that feeds them." Arella chuckled, and Magnus frowned at her. "Well, I'd like to see you do it every day." He said. Arella smiled, leaning down and kissing his forehead.

"I probably couldn't do it. But that's what makes you so amazing and wonderful." She said. Magnus winked, pulling her down for a quick kiss before standing up and stretching.

"Come on, love." he said. "We should hurry if we want to make it to the Institute _and_ to dinner." Arella took his hand, allowing him to pull her off the couch and remembering to take her coat off the hook as they swept out the door.

**So, do you all think I should continue? I know that not much happened in this chapter... But I'll continue posting, and I promise that it will get more exciting! Please R&R!**


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